The organizers were able to bring in every Air Combat Command Demo team for an epic Heritage Flight, as well as the USAF Thunderbirds.
New Garden Flying Field Evening of Aviation
Introduction: Richard Souza
Photography: Richard Souza, Christian Gross, Glenn Riegel, Joe DiAntonio
New Garden Flying Field Evening of Aviation | New Garden, PA | June 25th
New Garden Flying Field (N57), in Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania, is no stranger to airshows. There have been many Flying extravaganzas held there over the decades. In recent years, putting on a show at N57 has been a challenge. In 2022, the team at NGFF discovered that a weekday, evening/night show was the magic antidote to the unpredictable Presidential TFRs (Temporary Flight Restrictions) that have complicated airport operations. This past June 25th, the Staff at N57 and an army of volunteers brought the spectacle back to the skies of Chester County Pennsylvania. Sitting a couple of hours within our back yard, Full Disc Aviation dispatched partners Zulu and Christian and longtime collaborators Glenn Riegel and Joe DiAntonio down to capture the event for posterity.
The show was a mix of the old and the new. The Pennsylvania National Guard landed their Blackhawk and Chinook for static display and were joined by a DC-3 as well as Juliet and Steven Lindrooth’s T-6 and beautiful Brunner Winkle Bird. The static gem was Wings of War’s 1941 Cessna T-50 “Bamboo Betty”. The list of performers included veterans of previous editions like the New Garden Flight School, Mark Denest and Tim Trimble in their Fairchild 26’s. Kevin Russo was leading a two ship SNJ formation from Jersey Jerks. Jason Flood in the Red Ghost Pitts and Scott Francis in his MSX challenged photographers to a game of catch me if you can. Mark Murphy left his P-51 “Never Miss” at home and returned to N57 in his Van’s RV8 affectionately named “Little Miss”. It may not be a Mustang, but through our lenses, it looked and thrilled just as much if not more than its big brother “Never Miss”. The night sky erupted with the performances of Erik Edgren T-Clips and Nathan Hammond Ghost Writer Night show demonstration. The colorful and “animated” designs coming from 150 illuminated drones from Sky Elements UAS were the perfect prelude to the spectacular fireworks display that brought the curtain down.
There is very little more that we can say about the airshows at New Garden Flying Field. They pack a punch and entertain without having to take out a mortgage or feel like cattle being herded to the pen. This place knows they don’t have the infrastructure to compete with the big airshows. For this reason, they don’t even try. New Garden knows where it stands and stands firmly as one of the few remaining hometown shows in the region. They have cemented their legacy yet still try to inject something new. Words will never do the New Garden airshows justice. They must be experienced. The Presidential TFRs will not last forever and when they come to an end, we are certain that the event that follows will be something talked about for years to come. For now, we leave you with four different perspectives of the New Garden Flying Field Evening of Aviation.
Full Disc Aviation wishes to Thank Airport Director Jonathan Martin, the staff of N57 and all the Airshow Volunteers for their incredible hospitality.
